U.S. patent number 7,922,949 [Application Number 11/774,134] was granted by the patent office on 2011-04-12 for procedure for producing hollow bodies of thermoplastic material.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Matthias Borchert, Dirk Eulitz, Markus Hutzen, Timo Kramer, Harald Lorenz, Gerd Wolter.
United States Patent |
7,922,949 |
Borchert , et al. |
April 12, 2011 |
Procedure for producing hollow bodies of thermoplastic material
Abstract
The invention concerns a process for the production of hollow
bodies of thermoplastic material, in particular a process for the
production of fuel tanks of plastic material. In the process
according to the invention preforms in web or band form of
plasticised plastic material are shaped in a multi-part tool
forming a mould cavity by expansion of the preforms and causing
them to bear against the internal contour of the mould cavity. The
process firstly includes the production of two mutually
complementary intermediate products in the form of shell portions.
Then respective built-in fitment components are secured to the
respective insides of the shell portions, which face towards each
other in the installation position, wherein at least some built-in
fitment components of mutually complementary shell portions are
respectively of mutually complementary configuration, in the sense
that they can be joined to provide an assembled component or to
provide a functional unit. The shell portions are assembled in such
a way that the mutually complementary built-in fitment components
engage into each other and/or come into operative connecting
relationship with each other.
Inventors: |
Borchert; Matthias (Bonn,
DE), Wolter; Gerd (Konigswinter, DE),
Lorenz; Harald (Bad Neuenahr-Abrweiler, DE), Eulitz;
Dirk (Bonn, DE), Kramer; Timo (Hirz-Maulsbach,
DE), Hutzen; Markus (Hermesdorf, DE) |
Assignee: |
Kautex Textron GmbH & Co.
KG (Bonn, DE)
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Family
ID: |
39168751 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/774,134 |
Filed: |
July 6, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20080061470 A1 |
Mar 13, 2008 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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60806750 |
Jul 7, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
264/250; 156/245;
156/218; 264/299; 156/217 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C
66/636 (20130101); B60K 15/03177 (20130101); B29C
66/543 (20130101); B29C 49/20 (20130101); B29C
66/61 (20130101); B29C 66/131 (20130101); B29C
66/532 (20130101); B29C 66/7234 (20130101); B29C
66/112 (20130101); B29C 66/83221 (20130101); B29C
65/028 (20130101); B29C 66/54 (20130101); B29C
66/1312 (20130101); B29C 51/267 (20130101); B29C
49/04 (20130101); B29C 2049/0057 (20130101); B29C
2049/2008 (20130101); B29C 66/126 (20130101); B29C
2791/001 (20130101); Y10T 156/1038 (20150115); Y10T
156/1036 (20150115); B29C 2049/2073 (20130101); B60K
2015/03032 (20130101); B29C 49/0047 (20130101); B60K
2015/03453 (20130101); Y10T 29/4998 (20150115); B29C
2049/2013 (20130101); B29L 2031/7172 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B28B
5/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;264/515,250,146,516,299,319,230 ;156/91,285,244.13,245 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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4315838 |
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Nov 1994 |
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DE |
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100 10 900 |
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Sep 2001 |
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DE |
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10205524 |
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Aug 2003 |
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DE |
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10231866 |
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Jan 2004 |
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DE |
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60218237 |
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Oct 2007 |
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DE |
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1 006 014 |
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Nov 1999 |
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EP |
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1 238 845 |
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Mar 2002 |
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EP |
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1184157 |
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Mar 2002 |
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EP |
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1 334 817 |
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Jan 2003 |
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EP |
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1759827 |
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Mar 2007 |
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EP |
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2003-251684 |
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Sep 2003 |
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JP |
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2005/118255 |
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Dec 2005 |
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WO |
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2006064004 |
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Jun 2006 |
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WO |
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Other References
PCT Search Report dated Oct. 15, 2007 received in corresponding
International Application No. PCT/EP2007/005152, 5 pgs. cited by
other.
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Primary Examiner: Crispino; Richard
Assistant Examiner: Schatz; Christopher
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Grossman Tucker Perreault &
Pfleger, PLLC
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application
60/806,750 filed Jul. 7, 2006.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A process for the production of hollow bodies of thermoplastic
material for the production of fuel tanks of plastic material,
comprising the steps of: providing one or more preforms in web or
band form of plasticized plastic material; providing a multi-part
tool forming a mould cavity having an internal contour; shaping
said one or more preforms in said multi-part tool by expansion of
said one or more preforms thereby causing said preforms to bear
against the internal contour of the mould cavity to form two
mutually complementary intermediate products in the form of shell
portions having respective inside walls which face towards each
other in the tool; providing at least one respective built-in
fitment component capable of being secured to the respective
insides of the shell portions, wherein at least some of said
built-in fitment components are respectively of mutually
complementary configuration; securing said at least one respective
built-in fitment component to said respective inside wall of at
least one of said shell portions; assembling said shell portions in
such a manner that said mutually complementary built-in fitment
components engage into each other and/or come into operative
connecting relationship with each other such that said mutually
complementary built-in fitment components are joined to provide an
assembled component or to provide a functional unit, wherein
holding elements are used as said mutually complementary built-in
fitment components, which holding elements respectively receive
couplings of electric lines or fluid lines, wherein a holding
element and a line portion with coupling are placed on said inside
wall of said shell portions in such a way that the couplings engage
into each other when said shell portions are joined together.
2. The process according to claim 1 characterised in that the steps
of providing and shaping the preforms and assembling the shell
portions are effected in a first heat, without further heating of
the preforms.
3. The process according to claim 1 characterised in that the
preforms are shaped in a multi-part mould tool which includes at
least two outer moulds and at least one central mould which perform
an opening and closing movement relative to each other, wherein the
outer moulds respectively form sub-cavities which predetermine the
contours of the shell portions and the central mould is provided
with at least one component holder, by way of which some of the
fitment components are placed at the insides of the shell portions,
after the operation of shaping the shell portions.
4. The process according to claim 3 characterised in that the
central mould is removed after placement of some of the built-in
fitment components between the outer moulds and then the outer
moulds are closed against each other in such a way that the shell
portions and at least some of the fitment components arranged
therein come into operative connecting relationship with each
other.
Description
FIELD
The invention concerns a process for the production of hollow
bodies of thermoplastic material.
BACKGROUND
The invention concerns in particular a process for the extrusion
blow moulding of thermoplastic material to form integral hollow
bodies, in particular fuel tanks of plastic material for motor
vehicles.
It is basically known for extrusion blow moulding of hollow bodies
to be effected by means of extrudates in web or band form. They can
be obtained for example by the extrusion of a tubular preform which
was cut up or divided into bands or webs. The extrusion of
extrudates in web and band form without implementing the roundabout
route of using the tubular form is also known. The preforms are
either removed at the extruder by means of a manipulator and fed to
the tool or they are extruded directly between the opened portions
of a tool.
In the production of fuel tanks or other relatively large
containers which are provided with built-in fitment components and
attachments, the procedure involved is normally such that a tubular
preform is extruded in a hanging condition, in the form of a
multi-layer extrudate, either continuously or discontinuously,
wherein after being expelled to the predetermined length the
extrudate is shaped directly within a tool formed from two blow
moulding mould halves. Expansion of the preform is effected by the
preform being subjected to the action of gas pressure within the
closed blow moulding mould.
If built-in fitment components such as for example surge
components, fuel pumps, senders, roll pots and the like are to be
fitted in the fuel tank, either they can be fitted by the plastic
material being blow moulded therearound in production of the hollow
body or they can be subsequently fitted into the finished container
through assembly openings on the container. The latter procedure is
less desirable for various reasons. More specifically, for emission
reasons, openings and cut-out orifices in the container wall should
be as far as possible avoided or kept as small as possible. In
addition the manual assembly expenditure on a fuel tank produced in
that way is comparatively high.
The operation of introducing such built-in fitment components is
found to be particularly difficult when the fuel tank is
comparatively rugged and irregular, that is to say it is of a
complex spatial configuration.
Therefore, as an alternative to integral containers which are
produced by extrusion blow moulding, the possibility is known for
producing such containers, for example fuel tanks, from two
injection-moulded or deep-drawn half-shell portions. That procedure
affords the advantage that built-in fitment components can be
fitted into the opened half-shell portions. The two half-shell
portions are then welded together to produce the closed container.
In that case the operation of assembling built-in fitment
components can be very substantially automated. A problem with fuel
tanks which are produced in that way is the weld seams at the
connecting locations of the half-shell portions. They represent
potential leakage locations on the container for gaseous
hydrocarbons and require additional devices for making the welded
connections.
In principle there would also be the possibility of placing
built-in fitment components in the interior of a container when
producing containers by extrusion blow moulding of two or more
preforms in web or band form, by means of suitable manipulators. It
will be noted however that this is relatively complicated and
expensive if the situation involves introducing into the container
fitment components which extend over the overall cross-section of
the container or which indeed are intended to join the mutually
oppositely disposed inside walls of the container together. In that
respect the procedure that presents itself for that purpose is to
assemble the containers from half-shell portions which are
prefabricated, for example injection-moulded or deep-drawn.
The object of the invention is therefore that of providing a novel
process for the production of hollow bodies of thermoplastic
material by extrusion blow moulding of preforms in web or band
form, in which built-in fitment components can be placed in the
container, at a particularly low level of assembly complication and
expenditure. In particular the invention seeks to provide that the
process minimizes manual and machine finishing working on a
container provided with built-in fitment components.
SUMMARY
That object is attained by a process for the production of hollow
bodies of thermoplastic material, in particular by a process for
the production of fuel tanks of plastic material, in which preforms
in web or band form of plasticised plastic material are shaped in a
multi-part tool forming a mould cavity by expansion of the preforms
and causing them to bear against the internal contour of the mould
cavity, wherein the process firstly includes the production of two
mutually complementary intermediate products in the form of shell
portions, at least one respective built-in fitment component is
secured to the respective insides of the shell portions, which face
towards each other in the installation position, wherein at least
some built-in fitment components of mutually complementary shell
portions are respectively of mutually complementary configuration,
in the sense that they can be joined to provide an assembled
component or to provide a functional unit, and in addition the
shell portions are assembled in such a way that the mutually
complementary built-in fitment components engage into each other
and/or come into operative connecting relationship with each
other.
The invention can be summarized to the effect that, in the
extrusion blow moulding of hollow bodies from bands or webs of a
thermoplastic extrudate, during the operation of shaping out the
hollow body or during the step of moulding the extrudates in web
form, built-in fitment components are fitted into the shell
portions respectively forming intermediate products, wherein the
fitment components are so positioned and are of such a nature that,
when the shell portions are brought together, the fitment
components engage into each other and are brought into operative
connecting relationship with each other in such a way that a
spatially complex arrangement of almost any configuration of
fitment components over the entire cross-section of the finished
container is possible.
It is particularly desirable if the steps of producing and joining
the shell portions are effected in the first heat, that is to say
without further heating of the preforms.
In that way it is possible for example for bracing strut
structures, surge fitments or lines to be fitted into the container
in a particularly simple manner, wherein the latter can extend over
the entire cross-section of the container. Bracing strut structures
serve for example to counteract deformation of the container
because of an increased pressure or a reduced pressure.
The container walls can also be joined together by way of bracing
strut structures, without the need for that purpose to produce
wall-to-wall welds by means of corresponding slider members in the
tool.
The container can be equipped in that way exclusively by means of
additional built-in fitment components in the container. The design
configuration of the tools can turn out to be correspondingly
simpler, for example it is possible in that way to avoid the need
for slider members.
Preferably the preforms are shaped in a multi-part mould tool which
includes at least two outer moulds and at least one central mould
which perform an opening and closing movement relative to each
other, wherein the outer moulds respectively form the sub-cavities
which predetermine the contours of the shell portions and the
central mould is provided with at least one component holder, in
relation to which the fitment components are placed or fixed at the
insides of the shell portions, after the operation of shaping the
shell portions.
In an embodiment of the invention it is provided that the central
mould is removed after placement of the built-in fitment components
between the outer moulds and then the outer moulds are closed
against each other in such a way that the shell portions and at
least some of the fitment components arranged therein come into
operative connecting relationship with each other.
By way of example bracing strut elements for stabilizing the hollow
body can be used as the mutually complementary built-in fitment
components, the bracing strut elements latching together when the
half-shell portions are joined together.
Alternatively holding elements can be used as mutually
complementary built-in fitment components, which holding elements
respectively receive couplings of electric lines and fluid lines,
wherein the arrangements respectively including a holding element
and a line portion with coupling are placed on the inside of the
shell portions in such a way that the couplings engage into each
other when the shell portions are joined together.
It is also possible to use surge fitment components, preferably in
the form of surge walls or surge wall arrangements which engage
into each other as mutually complementary built-in fitment
components.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described hereinafter by means of two embodiments
by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
FIGS. 1 to 12 show diagrammatic views of the individual steps in
the production process,
FIGS. 13 and 14 show diagrammatic views of mutually complementary
holding elements with couplings accommodated thereby out of
engagement and in operative connected relationship with each other,
and
FIGS. 15 and 16 show a tie anchor comprising two mutually
complementary elements which are brought into engagement with each
other when the mould is closed when the shell portions are brought
together.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 1 to 12 diagrammatically show the tool identified by
reference 1 in cross-section during various phases in the process
according to the invention. The tool identified by reference 1 in
the Figures is of a three-part nature and comprises two outer
moulds 2a, 2b and a central mould 3. The outer moulds 2a, 2b are
displaceable away from and towards each other in the sense of an
opening and closing movement. The central mould 3 is displaceable
with respect to the outer moulds 2a, 2b transversely with respect
to the opening and closing movement of the outer moulds 2a, 2b. The
moulds are each fixed in per se known manner to respective known
mould mounting plates which are not shown here for the sake of
simplicity. The mould mounting plates are slidable or displaceable
in a closing frame structure which is also not shown. An extrusion
device for producing preforms 8 in web or band form is also
illustrated only by way of indication, for reasons of
simplification. By way of example, referring to FIG. 1, two
suitable extrusion heads with wide-slot nozzles can be arranged
above the tool 1 outside the plane of the drawing, on the side
which is towards the person viewing the drawing. It is equally
possible for a preform in tube form to be divided up into two webs
by suitable tools during or immediately after extrusion and for
those webs to be fed to the tool 1 by means of a manipulator.
Arranged within the central mould 3 is a carrier 4 which, in the
illustrated embodiment, for the sake of simplicity, carries only
two displaceable component holders 5a, 5b which are displaceable
with respect to the carrier 4 by way of pneumatic cylinders 6. The
use of hydraulic cylinders is alternatively possible.
In the view shown in FIG. 1 the central mould 3 is in the outwardly
displaced position, displaced transversely with respect to the
opening and closing movement of the outer moulds 2a, 2b, the
opening and closing movement of the outer molds 2a, 2b being
displaceable away from or towards one another. In that position the
component holder 5a, 5b is fitted with built-in fitment components
7 (see FIG. 2). In a further step in the process the central mould
3 is moved between the outer moulds 2a, 2b. See FIG. 3. Two
preforms 8 in web form are then respectively introduced between the
central mould 3 and the outer moulds 2a, 2b which are in an open
position relative to each other. See FIG. 4. As already mentioned
in the opening part of this specification, that can be effected by
extrusion from wide-slot nozzles arranged above the tool 1, that is
to say above the plane of the drawing in the Figures. As an
alternative thereto it is possible for the extruder or extruders to
be arranged spatially remote from the tool 1 and for the extrudates
or preforms 8 to be transported between the opened portions of the
tool 1 by means of a suitable gripper.
For the production of a fuel tank it is provided for example that
the preforms 8 each comprise a six-layer co-extrudate with barrier
layers for hydrocarbons. A suitable barrier material is for example
EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer).
As soon as the preforms are arranged at the desired length between
the outer moulds 2a, 2b and the central mould 3 respectively the
outer moulds 2a, 2b are closed with respect to the central mould 3.
See FIG. 5. The preforms 8 are then expanded by means of the action
of gas under pressure in the mould cavity (see FIG. 6) so that they
are each caused to bear against the sub-cavities 9a, 9b of the
tools 2a, 2b.
As can be seen in particular from FIG. 7 the carrier 4 is of a
two-part configuration, wherein the two parts of the carrier 4 are
moved away from each other in a next step in the process, more
specifically in the direction of the outer moulds 2a, 2b
respectively. The fitment components 7 which are arranged on the
component holders 5a, 5b are finally pressed against the inside
wall of the shell portions 10a, 10b which are now produced, by
actuation of the pneumatic cylinders 6. There are various possible
ways of connecting the fitment components 7 to the inside wall,
which is still plastic, of the shell portions 10a, 10b. A
force-locking connection and/or a connection involving intimate
joining of the materials involved can be envisaged here. A
connection by intimate joining of the materials involved is
achieved for example by welding the fitment components 7 to the
inside wall or also by glueing. As the process according to the
invention involves operating in a warmth or in a heat, that is to
say the preforms do not experience any further increase in
temperature after extrusion until the hollow body is finished,
welding is the operation that presents itself.
As can be seen in particular from FIG. 7 the parts of the carrier 4
and the component holders 5a, 5b are positioned in the last phase
of fixing the fitment components 7 to the inside wall of the shell
portions 10a, 2b, in such a way that the component holders 5a, 5b
with the fitment components 7 secured thereto project out of the
respective separation plane 11 between the outer moulds 2a, 2b and
the central mould 3. In the described embodiment that separation
plane 11 is actually illustrated as a plane, but in principle the
man skilled in the art also interprets the term `separation plane`
as being a separating surface extending in a spatially complex
configuration between the portions of the tool.
After the parts of the carrier 4 and the component holders 5a, 5b
have been moved back into the starting position (FIG. 8) the outer
moulds 2a, 2b are opened (FIG. 9) and the central mould 3 is
removed or displaced between the outer moulds 2a, 2b (FIG. 10) so
that the outer moulds 2a, 2b can unimpededly perform a closing
movement towards each other, as is shown in FIG. 11. When the outer
moulds 2a, 2b are closed together on the one hand the shell
portions 10a, 10b are assembled to form the finished article 12,
while on the other hand the fitment components 7 respectively
arranged in the shell portions 10a, 10b are brought into operative
connecting relationship with each other. That can be effected in
various ways, as will be described hereinafter.
Finally FIG. 12 shows removal of the finished article 12 from the
tool 1.
A possible configuration of the built-in fitment components 7 is
shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Mutually complementary built-in fitment
components 7 illustrated there are in the form of holding elements
13a, 13b which are each placed on the inside wall of the respective
shell portions 10a, 10b in accordance with the above-described
procedure, wherein the holding element 13a receives the coupling
14a and the holding element 13b receives the plug 14b of a line
connection. Both the coupling 14a and also the plug 14b are
arranged on the holding elements 13a, 13b in such a way that the
coupling 14a and the plug 14b are brought into engagement with each
other when the outer moulds 2a, 2b are brought together (FIGS. 10
and 11). It will be apparent to the man skilled in the art that for
that purpose it is necessary for the holding elements 13a, 13b or
the fitment components 7 to be placed in the shell portions 10a,
10b in such a way that it is possible to produce an operatively
connected relationship therebetween when the outer moulds 2a, 2b
are moved together. The parts which are to be connected together
must also have suitable tolerances, as will be clear for example by
reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.
The built-in fitment components 7 shown in FIG. 15 represent a tie
anchor comprising a latching projection 15a and a sleeve-shaped
latching receiving means 15b. The latching projection 15a is
provided with latching protrusions 16a whereas the latching
receiving means 15b has corresponding latching openings 16b. In
production of the hollow body the two parts of the tie anchor are
positioned or placed relative to each other on the inside wall of
the respective shell portions 10, 2b in such a way that they are
arranged in exactly opposite relationship. When the outer moulds
2a, 2b are closed against each other, the latching projection 15a
engages into the oppositely disposed latching receiving means 15b
and the latching protrusions 16a are locked in the latching
openings 16b of a corresponding configuration. See FIG. 16. In that
way the shell portions 10a, 2b which represent the mutually
oppositely disposed walls of the finished container are
non-releasably braced together.
* * * * *